Cam’Ron
Album : Come Home with Me
Release Date : May 14, 2002
Label : Roc-a-Fella

Review :
Cam’ron released his 1st CD in 1998 called "Confessions Of Fire". The CD was pretty good with a mixture of street and commercial songs. His first single "357" sampled the theme from the TV show "Magnum PI" and was a very catchy tune. What got Cam’ron noticed the most, however, was a song featuring his Harlem partner in crime, Mase, called "Horse And Carriage".

This Trackmasters’ produced tune was an instant hit and while Cam’ron was known for his mixed tape appearances and street rhymes, he started becoming mainstream after "Horse And Carriage" was in heavy radio rotation. On his 2000 release "S.D.E." it seemed as if Cam’ron was going for a different approach. While songs on his debut featured songs with Usher, Kelly Price, and the late Kenny Greene of Intro, on "S.D.E." it seemed as if Cam’ron was trying to take things back to the streets. However, "S.D.E." ended up doing the same thing as his debut CD did after his 1st single "What Means The World To Me" was released to radio. While the CD was street oriented, it became known for his 1st single and the song with Destiny’s Child "Do It Again". Cam’ron had memorable street anthems on both of his CDs with songs like "Glory" w/Noreaga, "D Rugs", "Losin’ Weight" w/Prodigy of Mobb Deep, "Where I’m From" w/Dutch & Spade and "Double Up" w/Juelz.

The song "Pull It" w/DMX, which was another mixtape favorite, never made it to his debut CD because the sample wouldn’t clear. After his first two CDs on Epic, Cam’ron signed with the infamous Rocafella records and many people thought that this move would automatically put him at another level. However, although there are some certified bangers on his 3rd disc, "Come Home With Me". There is not much difference between his debut CD and his new one. First of all, Cam’ron completed most of the CD before he went to Rocafella Records and some of the material definitely displays this. The hit of this CD and the first single is clearly "Oh Boy". Cam’ron and Juelz Santana tear this Just Blaze track to shreds. It does not get better than this on the CD and fans of Cam’ron’s other 2 discs will see what I am seeing.

From there, you get a track featuring Cam’ron and Jay Z called "Welcome To New York City" and Juelz Santana is featured on the chorus. This song is "straight fire" as some would say. The two go back and forth about "The home of 9/11, the place of the lost towers" and "the birthplace of Michael Jordan and the home of Biggie Smalls". Once again, Just Blaze provides the beat and everything is fine from there. On "The ROC (Just Fire)", Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel, join Cam’ron on which will definitely be remembered as a Rocafella classic. Memphis Bleek once again displays his potential, he just fails to deliver on his own CDs. The problem with "Come Home With Me" lie within the artist and the choice of samples. There is entirely too much sampling going on here. It seems they are trying to balance Killa Cam and the commercial side of things as well and at times this does not work. There are some catchy commercial tunes such as "Hey Ma", which uses the Commodores’ "Easy (Like Sunday Morning)" sample and "On Fire Tonight" which uses Mtume’s "You, Me & He" sample. "Daydreaming" takes the chorus straight from Aretha Franklin and may grow on you after a few listens.

"Losing Weight Part 2" w/Juelz Santana is a pretty good song but the track is nothing like the original version with Prodigy. However, I don’t think a sequel with Prodigy was ever considered, so you can’t blame Cam’ron. If you can get past the commercial missteps on some songs then this is a pretty good CD. Other noteworthy songs include "Life My Life (Leave Me Alone" w/Daz which uses the same beat as 2 Pac used on "Ambitionz Of A Ridah", the title track w/Juelz Santana and Jimmy Jones that deals with the harsh realities of life, "Dead Or Alive" w/Jimmy Jones, "I Just Wanna" w/Juelz Santana and the mixtape favorite "Boy Boy".

Overall, some Cam’ron fans will want to listen to his 1st two discs and leave this one alone. However, I feel that "Come Home With Me" is worth checking out if you are a true Cam’ron fan. He shows some growth and he also sticks to the same formula as "Confessions Of Fire". The next time around, however, I would just say more Just Blaze and Kanye West and less commercial samples.

No profanity, or inaproppriate remarks.